Field of the Technology
The invention relates to the field of industrial food stuff storage, specifically to a modular apparatus and system which may formed to accommodate and dispense large cans on a modular shelf.
Description of the Prior Art
Large food item containers such as #5 or #10 sized aluminum cans have long been used to store food stuffs in warehouses, food retailers, and the like. Due to their relative large size and volume however, having a number of these food item containers in the same location will quickly use up any available shelf space when the food item containers are stored in the traditional fashion, namely with the containers stored upright or even stacked on top of one another.
Several attempts have been made previously which aim to solve the problem of maximizing storage space when storing or accommodating large cylindrical cans. Most prior art attempts comprise a gravity-fed rack or organizer which accommodate a plurality of cans, notably smaller aluminum cans used for beverages or smaller quantities of canned food stuffs. The cans are loaded lengthwise or sideways on to a top rack which is inclined downwards toward a bottom rack which is in turn inclined downwards in the opposing direction towards the front of the organizer. When a user removes a can from the front of the organizer, the remaining cans disposed in the organizer all roll forward at their respective positions, with cans disposed in the top rack falling down into the bottom rack as space dictates. Because the top and bottom racks are disposed at an incline relative to the surface on which the organizer rests, this ensures that the next can rolls towards the front portion of the organizer, even when the next can is the only remaining can left.
Other can dispensers are simple vertical racks which hold a plurality of cans that are orientated sideways or lengthwise within the dispenser. The dispenser comprises an opening at the bottom which is sized to fit only one can there at time so that when a user removes the can disposed within the opening, the next can disposed directly above drops down into the removed can's space.
Despite the specific orientations or configurations of previous can dispensers found in the art, each dispenser functions as a standalone unit. Specifically, each dispenser is a discrete structural unit that does not share any components with that of any other dispenser unit. Additionally, because most can dispensers are to be used in a majority of locations, many can dispensers comprise a universal shape or design without any accommodation for what type of shelf or storage unit the can dispenser is disposed upon. The result therefore is that when multiple can dispensers are to be stored in a single location, for example on a shelving unit or bookcase, the user must orient or slide the can dispensers next to each other or as close as possible so as to place all the dispensers within the shelving unit. This can lead to an inefficient use of storage space as well as fail to take advantage of the structural strength of the shelving unit itself, thus leading to a possible structural failure of the shelving unit or can dispensers.
What is needed is a can dispenser and a system of can dispensers which can be linked together so as to encompass all the area available within a given storage space such as a shelving unit and the like. What is also needed is a can dispenser and a system of can dispensers which are capable of being coupled directly to the structural frame of a storage unit so that a maximum amount of support for the can dispensers and the cans contained therein can be obtained.